OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results of palliative surgical treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma in terms of quality of life, survival period and cholangitis rate.
METHODS: The clinical data on 232 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma in the last 22 years were analyzed retrospectively. Palliative operations included extrahepatic or intrahepatic choledochojejunostomy (123 patients), bridge internal drainage (15), endoscopic biliary drainage (49), percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage or celiotomy biliary drainage (29), and exploratory celiotomy external drainage (16).
RESULTS: In this series, the operative mortality rate was 9.1%, and no significant difference was observed between groups. The rate of cholangitis after operation was significantly lower in Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy group (16.2%) and bridge internal drainage group (15.4%) than in internal drainage group (35.5%, P <0.01), including percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD), endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage (ERBD), and celiotomy (or PTBD) external biliary drainage group (39.1%, P <0.01). No significant difference in survival was observed between the Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy group (9.3±1.8 months) and PTBD (or ERBD) internal drainage group (8.7± 2.2 months), but the survivals of the above groups were significantly longer than those of the bridge internal drainage group (6.5±1.7 months, P <0.05) and celiotomy (or PTBD) external biliary drainage group (4.4±2.1 months, P <0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: In unresectable cholangiocarcinomas, either operative bilioenteric bypass or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage can achieve significant palliation. Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy is the best choice for palliative operation. The use of U-tube is recommended for internal radiation therapy.